‘Online based lottery ‘ll boost Lagos revenue’

The Lagos Lottery Board has said the online lottery platform introduced by Winlot Lottery will help boost revenue to the state government.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiade, who spoke yesterday at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, where the new platfrom was uveiled, said Winlot is the first of its kind by any of the operators in the state.

He said: “We are aware of this means of distribution channel and I’m sure other operators will learn from this initiative as well. Winlot has been able to press the button faster than others. This also means that there will be more revenue to the state government.”

On the contribution of lottery to the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR), he noted that lotteries make returns to the state in terms of what is called ‘good courses money’ which is used to implement projects in the four key sectors of state such as education, infrastructure, health and environment.

He said: “Some of the projects that are done in Lagos State are done through good courses money. Whether participants win or not, they contribute in one way or the other to the benefit of Lagos State. 10 per cent of the lottery goes into Lagos state revenue.

“It is real and not counterfeit. I stand here before you as a regulator of the lotteries board in Lagos State which I have been regulating for the last eight years. Those who have played and have won remit their winnings.”

Winlot’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nimish Bhatnagar, said the online platform will provide the opportunity for everyone to participate conveniently from any domain of their choice without necessarily visiting lottery offices for registration procedure. He said the initiative stemmed from the drive to do spmething new and different in order to attract more customers. He said: “Everybody is a gambler. Given a good chance, everyone will like to own money.